Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Cover blurb for the MALAZAN prequel novel DANCER'S LAMENT

Bantam UK have released the cover blurb for Dancer's Lament, the first novel in the Path to Ascendancy Trilogy by Ian Esslemont.

This new trilogy chronicles the founding of the Malazan Empire, which went from a group of adventurers hanging out in a bar (where else?) on Malaz Isle to a superpower spanning three continents in less than a century.

Taking Malazan fans back to that troubled continent's turbulent early
history. the opening chapter in Ian C. Esslemont's epic new fantasy
sequence, the Path to Ascendancy trilogy.

For ages warfare has
crippled the continent as minor city states, baronies, and principalities
fought in an endless round of hostilities. Only the alliance of the
rival Tali and Quon cities could field the resources to mount a hegemony
from coast to coast -- and thus become known as Quon Taili.

It
is a generation since the collapse of this dynasty and regional powers
are once more rousing themselves. Into this arena of renewed border wars
come two youths to the powerful central city state that is LiHeng. One
is named Dorin, and he comes determined to prove himself the most
skilled assassin of his age; he is chasing the other youth -- a Dal Hon
mage who has proven himself annoyingly difficult to kill.

Li Heng
has been guided and warded for centuries by the powerful sorceress
known as the "Protectress" and she allows no rivals. She and her cabal
of five mage servants were enough to repel the Quon Tali Iron Legions --
what could two youths hope to accomplish under their stifling rule?

Yet
under the new and ambitious King Chulalorn the Third, Itko Kan is on
the march from the south. He sends his own assassin servants, the
Nightblades, against the city, and there are hints that he also commands
inhuman forces out of legend.

While above all, shadows swirl
oddly about Li Heng, and monstrous slathering beasts seem to appear from
nowhere to run howling through the street. It is a time of chaos and
upheaval, and in chaos, as the young Dal Hon mage would say, there is
opportunity.